The National Fire Authority highlights the pressing need for upgraded firefighting equipment amidst a surge in fire incidents.

Chief Fire Officer Puamau Sowane stresses the critical shortage of modern resources, emphasizing the inefficiency and age of the current fleet.

He adds that with fire engines costing over $600,000 and tankers reaching a million dollars per unit, acquiring essential equipment has become a challenge for the NFA.

The NFA CEO states that the emergence of tall buildings, particularly in urban centers like Suva, necessitates the need for more specialized equipment like ladder trucks.

Sowane also highlights the need for large tankers capable of transporting substantial amounts of water to the scene.

“Low water supply that we used to, we’re still experiencing from the old days and now. You will see that in most scenarios where there is a big fire, our people attend to these fires, and you will see some of our trucks will go run back and forth, trying to refill from some faraway fire hydrant, and then come closer.”

Sowane says decisive action is being taken to equip our firefighters with the tools they need to combat the escalating threat of fire incidents effectively.